The International Baccalaureate is a 2-year programme which emphasises a holistic education. Students of the IB programme will typically undertake 6 subjects - 3 at a more complex Higher Level and the other 3 at a less rigorous Standard Level. There are 3 additional components to the IB Programme which are required to attain an IB Diploma - the Creativity, Activity and Service portfolio, the 4000-word, independently-researched Extended Essay (typically undertaken in one of the student’s Higher Level subjects), and the Theory of Knowledge essay. Theory of Knowledge is a subject where students will undertake epistemological inquiries into various disciplines and learn about how we know what we know.
The IB diploma programme is a highly competitive programme in Singapore. Many good schools such as Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Saint Joseph’s Institution, and School of the Arts (amongst others) offer the IB Diploma programme. Students will learn how to be holistic learners as much of the IB involves doing independent research. However, this means that students will receive little to no hand-holding from their teachers. Students are supposed to be independent and exercise their intellectual curiosity when it comes to researching their subjects. As such, some students who need additional guidance may find the IB programme stressful.
Should I take the IB programme over A Levels?
Firstly, universities look favourably at the IB Programme and recognise it as a worthy counterpart to the Cambridge A Levels. The IB Programme lets universities know that the student has benefitted from a holistic education and is capable of undertaking independent research projects on his/her own. As the IB is focused on coursework and requires students to develop skills they will need in university such as learning how to cite sources properly, craft a well-argued thesis statement, and reflect on their experiences in a viva voce after they write their Extended Essay, universities both local and abroad will regard the candidate highly.
The IB Programme benefits students who have a particular area of passion in a subject which they would like to explore outside the curriculum. Students have the freedom of selecting an Internal Assessment (IA) or Extended Essay (EE) topic according to what they are passionate about. Then, they will conduct experiments and do research about this topic, using current knowledge studied during lessons to expand their horizons and satisfy their intellectual curiosity. For students who enjoy writing and coursework as opposed to having their sole mode of assessment being preparation for a major exam at the end of their programme, they will enjoy the IB Programme much better than they would A Levels in a Singaporean Junior College.
How does the IB Diploma Programme work?
The IB programme assesses student work as direct evidence of achievement against the stated goals of the courses a student will take. Students need to analyse and present information, evaluate and construct arguments, and solve problems creatively. Students will need to retain knowledge, understand key concepts, and apply standard methods. The results students attain do not follow the student’s position in the overall rank order, but they are graded based on their performance against set benchmarks. There are external and internal assessments in the IB.
Students will need to take exams to be assessed for most of their courses. In these exams, students will need to write essays, answer structured problems, analyse data to answer questions, evaluate case studies, and answer MCQs. These exams will be taken at the end of the IB programme, after all the deadlines for TOK, CAS, IAs and EEs have been fulfilled.
Students will also need to fulfil internal assessments to attain the IB Diploma. These Internal Assessments (IA) are assessed by the school’s own teacher. The IA is a 20%-30% contribution to the student’s final score which makes a big contribution to IB grading systems. Students need to obtain good grades in their IA to achieve an outstanding IB result. The IA can take many different forms - however, for Science subjects, students need to conduct experiments and answer their research question based on the concepts they have learned in class. This process can take several weeks or months and is usually wrapped up in the 2nd year of the IB.
IB has a grading scale to assess students - the maximum total score is 45. Getting the IB Diploma requires the student to earn a minimum of 24 points as well as pass the minimum requirements for the core of the program. Students typically take 6 subjects in the IB programme (3 Higher Level and 3 Standard Level), with each subject worth 7 points of the total grade. From the 6 subjects students take, the total points they can earn from those are 42. The leftover points are attained through fulfilling the core requirements in Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS). These requirements yield 3 points.
Where does the IB Chemistry Clinic come in?
As the name suggests, the IB Chemistry Clinic does not only fix a student’s grades - it helps students with critical components of the IB Programme, namely the Internal Assessment (IA) which is worth at least 20% of a student’s grade and their Extended Essay (EE) in Chemistry. The IA and EE are a non-negotiable part of the Chemistry curriculum - without them, students will not be able to graduate with an IB Diploma. However, there are many difficulties associated with conducting experiments for the IA and EE - many replications are required and the standard for the final deliverable - the research report - is high. Students need to undertake statistical testing and present their final results in a coherent and concise manner.
Thus, students will need additional guidance. Although the IB school provides mentors for the EE and teachers at school can guide students through their IA, attention to each student is often limited in a classroom setting and many students are left to figure things out by themselves. This results in difficulty completing internal deadlines on time, especially when a student needs to juggle all their 6 subjects and the additional components of the IB, along with their CCAs.
The IB Chemistry Clinic is here to answer all your questions - whether it is about content knowledge or fixing errors in your experimental setup as you undertake your IA journey, our skilled tutors with a strong background in Chemistry research and 30 years of experience teaching Chemistry are here to help!
Ace your IB Chemistry exams with the IB Chemistry Clinic!
The IB Chemistry Clinic helps both Higher Level and Standard Level Chemistry students with all aspects of their IB journey. The IB diploma is a highly demanding programme and students are expected to adhere to strict deadlines - both internal and external. Many students feel overwhelmed when they see the sheer amount of preparation they need to do, not only for their coursework (Internal Assessments and Extended Essay) but also for their final exams.
With the guidance of our IB Chemistry Clinic tutors, you will be able to attain a Grade 7 with time and effort! Our tutors have more than 30 years of experience teaching Chemistry, and extensive research experience. This makes our tutors well-equipped to help students with their Internal Assessments (IAs) and their Chemistry Extended Essay. Independent research may be difficult for some students because they do not know where to start. Additionally, they may run into problems with their experimental setup. The IB Chemistry Clinic guides students through the entire process from start to finish, or helps students as their investigations are ongoing.
If you need help with IB Chemistry, WhatsApp us at +65 9616 1651 to book your slot with the IB Chemistry Clinic today!
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to study for IB Chemistry?
Firstly, knowing the syllabus for IB Chemistry (either HL or SL) will help the student revise. Next, try practicing with past year IB papers to get used to the exam format. If there are questions students do not know how to answer, they can revise the concepts regarding the question to help them answer them or clarify with a tutor or teacher.
What do you do in IB Chemistry?
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Is IB Chem difficult?
Is chemistry the hardest IB subject?
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